


Stalemate

by yayasoba



Series: Magi [4]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Forgiveness, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-19 20:44:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5980489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yayasoba/pseuds/yayasoba
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The talks at Val Royeaux don't go as hoped. Trevelyan makes a promise, and begins to let go of her fear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stalemate

**Author's Note:**

> This is a rather quick update (instead of waiting months), because life took a small pause from beating the ever-loving piss out of me. Hurrah!

“Well,” Varric said, crossing his arms as they watched Lord Seeker Lucius stride away, “that was completely pointless.”

Natalia’s eyes narrowed at the Lord Seeker, but she said nothing.

“What do we do now?” Ketoja asked.

“We need to return back to Haven and see what the others would have us do,” Cassandra said. “There is nothing more for us here.”

They grouped back together and started to head back to the main gates. They had only taken a few steps when Natalia yelped as a flaming arrow shot past her shoulder.

“What is that?!” Cassandra exclaimed, her voice rising.

Ketoja was the first to approach it. “There’s a note attached to the end,” she said, pulling it off before anyone could tell her otherwise. Her eyes skimmed over the writing, before she handed it to Cassandra.

“ _ People say you're special. I want to help, and I can bring everyone. There's a baddie in Val Royeaux. I hear he wants to hurt you. Have a search for the red things in the market, the docks, and 'round the cafe, and maybe you'll meet him first. Bring swords, _ ” Cassandra read.

“Think we should check it out?” Ketoja asked.

“Is that wise?” Cassandra asked.

Varric shrugged. “Probably not, but you also need every fighter you can get, Seeker.”

“It says  _ bring swords _ . Still sound like a good idea?” Natalia asked, peeking around Cassandra’s arm to read the note.

“He also wants to hurt us,” Ketoja countered. “I’d just as soon meet him rather than find a sword in my back.”

Natalia grimaced slightly, but kept her silence as she retreated to the edge of the group. Her ear twitched as she thought she heard someone hissing at her.

“ _ Hey, over here! _ ” Her head darted to the side, and she noticed one of the Templars from earlier trying to signal her from an alleyway.

She knit her brow, deciding whether or not it was a good idea to actually join him.  _ I’ll keep him near the edge. I can always scream if things go south, I suppose. _

Checking to make sure that no one was looking in her direction, Natalia slowly made her way to the alley. She avoided making any sharp or quick movements, worried that one of her companions would notice. “ _ What _ ?” she hissed back, once she made it to the Templar. “Who are you?”

“My name is Ser Barris. I’m a Templar at Therinfal Redoubt,” he said, speaking quickly. “I came to ask for the Inquisition’s help.”

“Why in Thedas do you want the help of an organization  _ your leader _ rejected?” she hissed. She felt for her dagger on her belt, gripping it securely.

“Because something is very wrong with Lord Seeker Lucius,” he murmured. “And I trust Knight-Commander Cullen and any who work with him.”

Natalia’s eyes darted back to her group, who had moved further away to a booth. She weighed her options for a moment. Did Cullen know this Barris? “I will talk to the Commander about it. I promise nothing more than that.” Before he could say anything else, she had darted back to the others. 

No one saw her approach, and when she looked back Ser Barris was gone.

“We’ll be glad to have you at Haven, Belle,” Ketoja said, nodding to a finely-dressed merchant. Apparently, she had been busy while Natalia was gone.

“Of course,” Belle replied. “I will arrive with my wares as soon as possible.”

* * *

 

“Well, that was a more productive journey than we expected,” Josephine said, as she scratched something on her writing tablet. “The mages are willing to speak with us, even if the Templars are not. And Mother Giselle tells me that your presence was enough to keep the Grand Clerics arguing among themselves for a bit longer.”

“Not to mention that the three agents you managed to recruit should prove very beneficial for the Inquisition,” Leliana added. “Is there anything else you haven’t yet reported?”

“No,” Ketoja said.

“Trevelyan?” Cullen asked, forcing Natalia to look up from the war table.

“No,” she replied shortly.

“In that case,” Cassandra said, “I suggest we postpone discussion about the mages until tomorrow. We have just returned, and I, for one, would like a bath.”

“That does sound good,” Ketoja mused. “Is there anything else?” she asked.

“Nothing that cannot wait,” Josephine said quickly.

“Then we will meet tomorrow,” Cassandra said.

“Very well,” Cullen said. “Tomorrow, then.”

Natalia didn’t move as the others left, until it was only her and Cullen in the room. She bit her lip, her eyes tracing the winding line that separated Ferelden.

“Was there something you needed, Trevelyan?” Cullen asked, as he adjusted markers on the map.

Natalia froze for a moment, before she clenched her fingers into a fist. “No, Commander. I’ll leave to your reports,” she said, turning on her heel and retreating as quickly as possible.

_ Tomorrow _ .  _ Tomorrow I’ll ask him. _

* * *

 

Natalia fidgeted outside Cullen’s tent. Screwing up her courage, she abruptly barged inside, not giving herself the chance to run away, which she knew would have happened if she had tried to wait for permission.

“ _ Herald! _ ” Cullen gasped, and Natalia noticed he wasn’t wearing a shirt and was bent over a small bucket of water. She saw the straightedge in hand. Oh, he was shaving.

“Reports,” she said simply, holding up the sheaf of papers. “Josephine’s mostly, with a few from Leliana. Apparently, the mages and Templars here can’t put aside their differences, and  _ you _ are expected to keep them from collectively burning down Haven. And will you stop trying to cover yourself up like a Chantry sister?” she scoffed, as she made her way over to Cullen’s bed and put the papers down on his pillow. “You’re hardly going to damage my innocence.”

“Was that all?” Cullen asked, pulling his shirt on, though some of the shaving paste smeared on the inside.

“There was one other thing,” Natalia said, moving to one of the tent posts and leaning on it. She shivered slightly, and crossed her arms. “I left something out of my report from Val Royeaux.”

“Oh? What was it?” he asked.

“After Lucius’s tirade, we had just found the notes Sera had given us. When Ketoja went over to talk to Belle, one of the Templars caught my attention and wanted to speak with me. Alone. He told me that there was something wrong with Lord Seeker Lucius, and that he needed our help.” She stared at the ground. “I told him I would tell you, but promised nothing more than that.”

“Cassandra also said the Lord Seeker was acting strangely,” Cullen said. “Who was the Templar?”

“Ser Barris,” she said.

“A good man, and a good Templar, if the reports are true” he said thoughtfully. “I trust his judgement in this, especially since Cassandra has similar worries.”

“What should we do?” Natalia asked.

“I’ll tell the others. They’ll have to agree something must be done with the Templars now,” he said, becoming resolved.

“But what about the mages?” Natalia asked.

“That will be up for us all to decide,” he said. 

“You think there might be a way to ally with both?” Natalia asked.

“Perhaps,” he said. “I’ll think on it, and bring it up at our meeting later.”

“All right,” Natalia said, nodding.

“Is that all?” he asked.

“Ah… yes. Sorry, I’ll let you change,” she said, suddenly feeling awkward, despite her nonchalance earlier.

“Natalia,” he said, just as she was about to duck out.

“Yes?” she asked, letting go of the tent flap.

“I never was able to say it before, but I am sorry. For… everything,” he said, and she could hear what  _ everything _ meant to him.

She sighed into the tent canvas, before turning around to look at him with an impassive expression. “I made my own choices. You didn’t force me to leave or stay after the Rebellion. That’s more than anyone else would have done." She gave him a small nod. “Good day, Commander.”

Outside the tent, Natalia stood blinking in the sun for a moment, as she realized the constant tightness around her heart had loosened slightly.


End file.
